Converting your garage space into a living space is becoming increasingly more popular. Here’s what you need to think about before beginning your conversion.
First, assess whether or not the conversion will decrease the value of your home. The loss of a garage can lower your home’s value and make it more difficult to sell. Seek the advice of a real estate agent to get their opinion. If any of your neighbour’s homes feature garages, it may not be the best move.
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Before you decide to begin this project, make sure you’ll have space elsewhere on your property to park cars. Some municipalities require that houses have a set number of off-street parking spots, so check with your building department first to cross off any legality questions.
In other cases, the conversion can add value to your home! On the plus side, the “addition” extends the living area and can significantly increase the market value of the property, all while costing less than building on an addition from scratch.
You can convert a garage space into an office, bedroom, home gym, or children’s play-room and more! Since the existing walls are already in place, you don’t have to worry about building a foundation, walls, or roof. You do, however, have to think about the following:
Insulation: Most garages are not insulated. If the drywall is already installed in your garage, it may have to be removed and re-installed with insulation.
Garage Door: The big question here is whether to leave the existing garage door or replace it with a wall. If you decide to leave the door, it too will need to be insulated.
Floor Height: In most cases, garage floors tend to be lower than the house. It could be beneficial to match the two-floor heights to create a cleaner, more cohesive look. An easy way to have sleepers installed to elevate flooring above the concrete floor.
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